Conceived as a continuum of social sustainability, from planning, design and construction through to occupancy and ongoing use, the Collaborative Sciences Research Building is providing a unique opportunity for the University of Saskatchewan to significantly improve its mission of teaching, outreach, and research in the natural and life sciences. This has included efficiency in planning and design through the commitment of a fully integrated design team, as well as an aggressive project schedule that led to the university's decision to pursue Green Globes certification. Both social and experimental sustainability were demonstrated in systems selection; one such example is the exterior glazing assembly and envelope construction; the energy model provided data that helped the team realize that a more opaque approach to the envelope design would enable compliance with new energy codes, resulting in a more energy-efficient building. In this presentation, Flad's Rachel Nelan and university planner Rea Carlson will showcase how with this building, the university is advancing the frontiers of social and experimental sustainability, and provide valuable insight for others seeking to stretch the limits of what's possible to achieve under tight schedules and budgets, and high institutional expectations.